INDIAN COAST GUARD COORDINATED OPERATIONS TO SAVE 09 LIVES AT HIGH SEAS
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG)’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Chennai has successfully coo rdinated the rescue operation of 09 crew of Mechanised Sailing Vessel (MSV) Annai Vailankanne Arockia Ven nila. The vessel on passage from Tuticorin to Maldives, reported technical snag when she was about 170 NM fr om Tuticorin and 230 NM from Maldives and requested for assistance through transmission of DAT alert amid rough seas. The distress message regarding flooding from the vessel, transmitted through Distressed Alert Tra nsmitter (DAT), was received by the Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai at ab out 1600 hrs on 05 Oct 21.
MRCC Chennai launched the National Search and Rescue Services and activated International Safety Net (ISN) for coordinating SAR operation. Two merchant vessels namely MV SKS Mosel (IMO – 9240433, MMSI –25879 2000, Flag – Norway) and MV MCP Salzburg (IMO – 9383481, MMSI – 212031000, Flag – Cyprus) were identi fied as potential SAR units and diverted to the datum. MV MCP Salzburg reached datum and safely rescued all 09 crew of MSV Annai Veilankanne Arockia Vennila at 0230 hrs on 06 Oct 2021 and has proceeded to its next port of call (NPC) Maldives, where she will be disembarking the rescued crew.
Distress Alert Transmitter is an Indigenous technology developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in consultation with Indian Coast Guard, the National Search and Rescue Authority. DATs are carried by Indian fishing boats, Mechanised Sailing Vessels, Coastal Vessels and other small vessels. The distress alert is monito red 24x7x365 days by MRCC Chennai located at Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (East).
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PS/CS/SS/10/2021
